2.4. Research Findings
2.4.1. COVID-19 Outbreak and the Psychological State of LBCs
Concerning the rural parents’ migration, the size of remittance is an essential matter for left-behind children and their migrant parents. Most participants confirmed that their parents’ motives for moving to an urban locality were to meet their family’s obligations [
49]. The psychological state of LBC is further subdivided into LBC’s view of COVID and LBC’s parents during COVID.
2.4.2. LBC’s View of COVID
Due to parental migration, these LBCs underwent emotions of anxiety and sadness from their parents’ physical presence; with these feelings and emotional states, these LBCs perceived COVID-19 (See
Table 2). Respondents shared fascinating psychological facts regarding COVID-19 that they came across. R2 stated that:
“COVID was a tiresome experience for me, lots of work and work, nothing else. It was a disease, but I was not scared of it. Sitting at home all the time and looking after my grandparents and young brother… my grandparents are very old… no sports, no meeting and playing with friends, and no excitement, just boring”.
While discussing their experiences, our respondents mentioned that they were not afraid of COVID-19. Notably, we observed that concerning COVID-19, not a single respondent exposed a view of panic and stress. R4, for example, stated that “there is no change in my life… all is the same as before, COVID brought no change for me… My sister used to bully me, and I will keep beating her… I help my grandmother with household chores such as cleaning and cooking, but after the pandemic, I do not want to help her with housework. I want to play and enjoy with my friends”.
Similarly, R7 argued that “this year my parents did not visit me; this was the only change which COVID brought me. Otherwise, all is the same as before… just studying and sitting at home is boring for me… COVID did not give me fear… I hope my parents will visit me soon and we have a good time together”.
Respondent R22 shared their experience of solitude and apathy during COVID-19 while staying at home, and revealed that “… I feel alone during a pandemic at home with grandparents only, no playing, no families, no excitement, and no friends… even in my studies there was no one who can guide me… I missed my school fellows and friends… and our playing time. I feel exhausted from housework and lazy staying at home and do household chores… but I am not scared of COVID-19. It is tiresome, nothing else… for me, it is scarier is to stay at home and work all time and stay away from my friends and games”.
While sharing the psychological state and experiences of LBCs, we understand that LBCs deal with pandemics with bravery, and are not bothered. Similarly, respondents R5 and R7 shared the same feelings of no fear and anxiety regarding COVID. Still, they revealed that the pandemic was unexciting; primarily, staying at home and staying away from friends and playing made them feel stressed. Coding the same facts, one of the respondents, R10, marked that “it was a boring time for me, but I do not feel any kind of fear from COVID”.
2.4.3. LBCs’ View of Their Parents
Evidence from literature revealed that parent-child communication is crucial for the emotional well-being and pleasure of LBC. Furthermore, unstable parent-child interaction causes feelings of stress. Since most LBCs were living with their older grandparents, as a result of grandparents aging and inadequate emotional attachment, LBCs develop depression and sad feelings (See
Table 3). Such a respondent, R5, revealed that:
“… My friends are happy, they eat together and play with their parents, and they do not have any issue with their studies… because their parents teach them and help them to read, I feel sad, and I wish that if my parents were with me, I would be happy like my friends, and I would be good in my studies, but my parents are not around… from COVID, I do not have any fear; I want my parents back, and I play and spend time with them… I know my mother is working to arrange school fees for my sister”.
LBCs explained their parents’ attitudes during COVID and shared their experiences with us. As respondent R4 explained, “my mother used to call us once a week, but she is busy with her work… for me, nothing changes, her behavior is the same; she calls as she used to do, I want her to come back and stay with me… my grandma mostly guides me to work hard for my studies”.
Furthermore, explaining the pandemic stress, respondent R10 outlined that “my parents used to visit us during Chinese New Year each year… but during COVID they used to do video call and sometimes a telephone call to ask about my grandparents and me… I was looking after myself during the COVID as per their advice, such as washing hands and not playing outside, wearing masks, and staying at home… but I think there is no change; all is the same for me”.
While sharing their experience, respondent R1 revealed, “My parents used to visit us once a year, mostly on Chinese New Year… but they used to talk to us every day… sometimes, like when my big brother broke his legs, then they paid us a quick visit to solve his health issues, and even last time they paid lots of money for his treatment and stayed with us until he recovered… whenever something happened, they used to visit, such as once my brother fought with someone and broke his leg, and my parents visited us—otherwise they visit at the new year. Apart from that, they used to visit due to my brother’s behavior”.
While discussing their diverse experiences during COVID, LBCs shared their parental advice to stay safe from COVID and their parental communication and their personal feelings toward the pandemic, and revealed that they were not afraid of COVID-19. Notably, most of them talk about the household obligations and tiresome routines that make them more occupied, and few of them revealed that due to this physical fatigue, they felt tired and depressed.
2.4.4. COVID-19 and LBC Academic Adjustment
During the pandemic outbreak, the Ministry of Education in China launched an online schooling system to prevent harm to education, and successfully launched online classes initiatives during COVID-19. Nevertheless, the sudden outbreak significantly hindered the Ministry of Education; providing visual aids to rural school children was a challenge, since rural children have limited access to the latest technology gadgets. Shortly, with the effective recommendation for using all available visual aids such as TV, WeChat, and DingTalk, we will be able to execute the online learning process smoothly. Consequently, the ministry accomplished the launch of online classes in rural areas. Our respondents shared how they undergo online schooling experiences, their household obligations, and how these influence their online learning with us. The academics of LBCs are presented under these subthemes as LBC’s view of school and LBC’s and caretakers’ responsibilities (See
Table 4).
Discussing schooling experiences, R2 stated the following: “… Our school started online classes for us during the pandemic period… but most of the time I do not understand my teacher, I feel alone and bored sitting and waiting for the teacher to ask me some questions, and sometimes she did not ask any question… I cannot see my friends; I cannot talk to my teacher… a few days I do not understand what she is teaching and which subject… like audio tape recordings I have to listen to, because they’re at home, no one is able to help me in my studies”. Regarding the online classes, all respondents mentioned the experience of the lifelessness of online studies, and reported this experience as a learning constraint.
Some respondents revealed the swiftness of online classes, and the respondent marked as R4 stated the following: “I believe online classes are faster than real classes, because teachers only speak and I do not have any chance to participate in class, just listening… due to teachers’ speed of talking, sometimes I do not understand anything, and I cannot stop her to repeat for me… besides, sometimes due to housework if I am late for the class then it becomes difficult for me to understand the teacher… my grandparents are old, so I have to do more household chores and have less time left for my studies… I struggle with my studies because no one can teach me at home”.
Respondents mentioned the physical absence of their classmates and friends and missed their class activities. R18 reported the following: “It is boring to sit and watch TV to understand the teacher’s words. The pace of teachers is mostly very fast. I do not understand sometimes… and if I skip some parts, then no friend or classmate can help me with what she is teaching and which subject. It is very boring just listening to the teacher, no friends, no fun, just words; I miss my class, my activities, and their help”.
When comparing online classes with offline classes, one respondent, R20, reported: “Online classes are good to enable us to study at home, but online classes are not interesting, such as my school classes where all my friends were together… I can ask the teacher what I do not understand, and I missed my classes and friends; online classes are just listening and listening”.
Respondent 8 shared her online class experiences with her mother during COVID-19, and revealed that “my mother helped me a lot to learn from online classes; she teaches me how to take notes and not just listen to the teacher, and how to use the internet to read more about English, because my English is weak compared to Mathematics and Chinese… since she knows my weak subject she supported me to read more English, and I am happy I scored good grades in English”.
Another respondent, R16, shared the parental help regarding his studies, and pointed out: “I did not feel any change during COVID-19, I feel brave and strong… my parents helped me in my studies by teaching me through video calls whatever I do not understand from an online class, which I discuss with my parents to help me; I enjoyed the online classes, and they were a nice experience”.
Moreover, R13 stated the motive of studying hard, and revealed: “I know my parents are working hard for me, and I have to study hard to achieve excellent grades to have a better life for them… I achieved high grades in class”.
Discussing parents’ expectations to achieve high academic grades, respondent R15 added, “I feel difficulty in English; parents always guide me to work hard to achieve the high grades and read more books… but there is no one who can help me to read English books and stories, I wish my father was there to help me and read for me to understand like my friends… but he is so busy with work and had no time even for the call”.
2.4.5. LBC and Their Legal Guardian’s Caregiving
Most of the respondents were under the care of their grandparents, and shared their academic experiences and caretaking obligations, and revealed different facts, as R2 added: “I helped my grandparents in the household by cleaning, cooking, and washing, because they are farmers and they feel tired, so I helped them, but sometimes I feel so tired to do household chores, and I cannot pay attention to my studies and class work”.
Likewise, R6 revealed the following: “During COVID-19, my parents were in Guangzhou for their work, and mostly my parents called me weekly, and most commonly asked about grandparents and my health… they used to advise me do not go out and stay at home and look after grandparents help them in households and study hard; this is their most common advice for me whenever they used to call us… besides, there is no change during COVID, and only little new advice, such as washing hands and not playing with friends”.
Almost all respondents mentioned and discussed the influence of health and aging issues of their grandparents on their academic learning process, and R22 added the following: “Most of the time, I have to manage the household and help my grandma in cooking, cleaning, and washing dishes because she is blind, so I helped her; grandpa is a farmer, and he used to work in the field and sometimes he needs my help too because he is too old to work alone… but all this work made me feel so tired and weak… during the online classes sometimes I cannot focus on my studies, and due to my tiredness I cannot pay attention to online classes. Sometimes I try to understand mathematics because my mathematics is very weak, but no one is there to teach me at home and no friends can guide me to study”.
Notably, regarding online classes, all respondents mentioned several facts that cause hindrance in their academic learning processes, such as physical fatigue and household obligations, grandparents’ poor health status, online classes’ teaching style, and a lack of guidance and help from parents and grandparents. As a result, this adds up to more worries for these LBCs (See
Table 5).
2.4.6. LBCs’ Parental Attachment during COVID-19
Most LBCs share their parental relationships and attachments during the pandemic through social media, as well as the advice they receive. For example, respondent R22 disclosed his academic and COVID precautions, parental guidance, and its influence on his lifestyle (See
Table 6).
Further, respondent R2 added the following: “… my brother and I were living with grandparents, and we looked after them. My parents talk to us once a day as usual… I think our life had already changed before COVID when they left us… when I see myself and my friends, we have a big difference. They have family we do not have. Nothing else. I do not have any wish from my parents, and I do not need anything”.
Respondent R4 states: “When I was born, and my father was in jail, my mother left my two elder sisters and me with our grandparents to make money for us. It’s been six years now. During COVID, she was busy with her work, and she used to call very little to ask about us… Her big words for us were not to go out, and to stay at home to help our grandparents. Grandma is sick and cannot cook, so I clean, my sisters cook, and I help with the farming too, I think my mother loves us… that is why she works very hard”.
Respondent R5 remarked the following: “My mother was calling me and was asking about my health when she gets time. My stepfather hates me, so she cannot stay with me since I was with my grandparents forever during the pandemic. I was so sad and depressed when I saw my friends with their families and having fun. I am not lucky like them”.
Likewise, respondent R7 remarked: “Actually, I do not feel fear from COVID. My parents used to call me daily and guide me on how to be safe and healthy, like staying at home and helping my grandparents. When I was a child, I wished my parents would return and spend more time with me… I know my parents are working hard for me to provide me with milk and food, and they promised to buy me a new computer to study”.
Similarly, R18 mentioned her father’s instructions, and added: “My father loves me a lot. He always tries to be around me and calls me three times a day. During COVID, I was with my teacher. After my mother left me, my teacher looked after me… my dad told me not to eat indiscriminately outside, to buy as much food as possible when I was at home, to not starve myself, to study and listen to my teacher, and to not go out at night”.
Respondent R20 adds the following: “My father is working hard for us. He is a chef and used to call me frequently, but I was so bored. I was not afraid of COVID-19. It makes no difference to me. All is the same. It’s boring at home, and I cannot go out to play. Dad called daily, saying the same: don’t go out, stay home, and be safe. My grandparents gave me money to buy food online”.
Furthermore, respondent R14 mentioned: “My parents are separate from each other. My father works in Liangjiang (city), and my mother works in Guangzhou. My father didn’t call me, even during COVID-19. He didn’t call, and my mother was very busy, but when she used to call me, she fought with me. I wish she didn’t call me and stayed busy. My mother has to take care of my sister because she needs a lot of tuition for her third year of senior high school”.
Likewise, R16 added: “Our parents left us the last two years, and during COVID, they were not with us. Before COVID-19, my mother visited us on birthdays and Chinese New Year. The pandemic was serious, so they were in contact through calls. Whenever they got the time, they used to call us and ask about our health, but fought with us sometimes… I know my parents left us for money and to make us eat good, sometimes I wish I had good food such as milk, snacks and good times with my parents… most of the time when my mother used to call me, she fights with us and stays angry, because her job is difficult. She is tired of it, and during COVID, they have not had a job… sometimes I think this is why they left us”.